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Developing the Project Plan The Project Network –A flow chart that graphically depicts the sequence, interdependencies, and start and finish times of the project job plan of activities that is the critical path through the network. Provides the basis for scheduling labor and equipment. Enhances communication among project participants. Provides an estimate of the projects duration. Provides a basis for budgeting cash flow. Identifies activities that are critical. Highlights activities that are critical and can not be delayed. Help managers get and stay on plan.

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From Work Package to Network FIGURE 6.1 WBS/Work Packages to Network

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Constructing a Project Network Terminology –Activity: an element of the project that requires time. –Merge Activity: an activity that has two or more preceding activities on which it depends. –Parallel (Concurrent) Activities: Activities that can occur independently and, if desired, not at the same time. A C BD

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Constructing a Project Network (contd) Terminology –Path: a sequence of connected, dependent activities. –Critical path: the longest path through the activity network that allows for the completion of all project- related activities; the shortest expected time in which the entire project can be completed. Delays on the critical path will delay completion of the entire project. C ABD (Assumes that minimum of A + B > minimum of C in length of times to complete activities.)

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Constructing a Project Network (contd) Terminology –Event: a point in time when an activity is started or completed. It does not consume time. –Burst Activity: an activity that has more than one activity immediately following it (more than one dependency arrow flowing from it). Two Approaches –Activity-on-Node (AON) Uses a node to depict an activity. –Activity-on-Arrow (AOA) Uses an arrow to depict an activity. B D A C

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Basic Rules to Follow in Developing Project Networks Networks typically flow from left to right. An activity cannot begin until all of its activities are complete. Arrows indicate precedence and flow and can cross over each other. Identify each activity with a unique number; this number must be greater than its predecessors. Looping is not allowed. Conditional statements are not allowed. Use common start and stop nodes.

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Activity-on-Node Fundamentals FIGURE 6.2

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Activity-on-Node Fundamentals (contd) FIGURE 6.2 (contd)

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Network Information TABLE 6.1

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Koll Business CenterPartial Network FIGURE 6.3

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Koll Business CenterComplete Network FIGURE 6.4

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Network Computation Process Forward PassEarliest Times –How soon can the activity start? (early startES) –How soon can the activity finish? (early finishEF) –How soon can the project finish? (expected timeET) Backward PassLatest Times –How late can the activity start? (late startLS) –How late can the activity finish? (late finishLF) –Which activities represent the critical path? –How long can it be delayed? (slack or floatSL)

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Network Information TABLE 6.2

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Activity-on-Node Network FIGURE 6.5

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Activity-on-Node Network Forward Pass FIGURE 6.6

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Forward Pass Computation Add activity times along each path in the network (ES + Duration = EF). Carry the early finish (EF) to the next activity where it becomes its early start (ES) unless… The next succeeding activity is a merge activity, in which case the largest EF of all preceding activities is selected.

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Activity-on-Node Network Backward Pass FIGURE 6.7

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Backward Pass Computation Subtract activity times along each path in the network (LF - Duration = LS). Carry the late start (LS) to the next activity where it becomes its late finish (LF) unless The next succeeding activity is a burst activity, in which case the smallest LF of all preceding activities is selected.

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Determining Slack (or Float) Slack (or Float) –The amount of time an activity can be delayed after the start of a longer parallel activity or activities. Total slack –The amount of time an activity can be delayed without delaying the entire project. The critical path is the network path(s) that has (have) the least slack in common.

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Extended Network Techniques to Come Close to Reality Laddering –Activities are broken into segments so the following activity can begin sooner and not delay the work. Lags –The minimum amount of time a dependent activity must be delayed to begin or end. Lengthy activities are broken down to reduce the delay in the start of successor activities. Lags can be used to constrain finish-to-start, start-to-start, finish-to-finish, start-to-finish, or combination relationships.

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Hammock Activities Hammock Activity –An activity that spans over a segment of a project. –Duration of hammock activities is determined after the network plan is drawn. –Hammock activities are used to aggregate sections of the project to facilitate getting the right amount of detail for specific sections of a project.